Few good things came out of Ajax’ Europa League campaign last season but when a blood soaked Donny Van De Beek celebrated scoring his first goal at the Amsterdam ArenA against Molde, it was hard not to be sentimental. A player who has dominated for Ajax at youth level and has thrived with best friend and partner in crime Abdelhak Nouri in Jong Ajax. Lanky, quick while possessing a well rounded technical repertoire and being impeccably calm on the ball in all positions of the field, Van De Beek is on the precipice of breaking into the Ajax first team under new manager Peter Bosz.

Playing style

According to Catalan news outlet Mundo Deportivo,Van De Beek has made Barcelona swoon with his ability while he has impressed for Ajax at youth level and in the cameos he has made with the first team. He scored against Molde but away to Celtic at Celtic Park, he was deep in his own half with ball flying at him full speed while he was being pressured by Celtic attackers, only to nonchalantly backheel an accurate pass to a teammate to play himself out of trouble. For Jong Ajax, he provides the energy, imposing physique and brains of the operation as he is more physically and technically developed than most of his teammates. He is calm under pressure and possesses a spacial awareness that is an integral component of effective buildup play. His best position is certainly as an ‘8’ as it allows him to face play while giving him the freedom to roam around the pitch and spread his creativity while he also possesses an eye for goal. The complete midfielder in a team filled to the brim with players cut from the same cloth as him, he is certainly one to watch in the coming years.

What does the future hold for van de Beek?

He joined Peter Bosz and Ajax on pre-season instead of playing for the Oranje U19s at the U19 European Championships where they flattered to deceive. Riechedly Bazoer, Nemanja Gudelj, Daley Singraven, Thulani Serero and him will fight it out to fit into two midfield positons behind Davy Klaassen. Van De Beek offers more creativity than Gudelj and is a much more of a physical specimen than Sinkgraven and Serero so he could play his way into Bosz’ team while he will also be an option if the new coach tweaks his side. It is likely that he will spend the next season in between Jong Ajax and the first team but will certainly see more game time than he saw last season.